Silent Eyes and Ears
by A Being Of Violet Fire
Summary: Animals are invisible. People pour out their heart's desires, knowing they won't be revealed. They see dark secrets and violent deeds, but never speak. But what if, for once, they weren't silent? Evil!Dumbledore Good!Tom Riddle Abused!Harry
1. Suspicions

Tom Riddle sat in his regal throne, absently stroking his familiar, Nagini.

The snake gently butted Tom's chin affectionately, knowing what ailed her master. _**'Tom? What are you going to do?'**_

Tom sighed. "I don't know Nagini. I really hope that I'm wrong but…"

'_**You're never wrong…' **_She finished for him, understanding.

Tom nodded and sighed again.

Nagini hesitated. She had an idea, in inkling, but she wasn't sure that Tom would agree. It was risky, and a little odd, but if it worked, it would be brilliant.

'_**I have an idea Tom…' **_Tom looked at her in surprise, motioning her to continue, curious despite himself. _**'Well, I'm a snake, an animal. I can go places humans can't, see and hear secret things because, to them, I'm just a dumb beast. Most of the time, I'm just invisible.' **_But there was no malice in her tone, just cool calculating acknowledgement of fact.

'_**So… if you were to disguise two of your most trusted, maybe Pretty One and Batman,'**_ Tom had to grin at Nagini's names for Lucius and Severus. He was never watching a muggle movie with her _again. __**'as animals, they could look in on and confirm your suspicions about the little serpent.'**_

Tom nodded thoughtfully. The plan had merits, and there weren't two men on the face of the planet that he trusted more than Lucius and Severus. They knew about what Dumbledore had done to him, making him insane enough that he would attack and kill a pureblood family.

They stuck by him when, in his crazed desperation, he tried to return to his body, while trying not to let him lose his soul in the process. He was forever grateful that Severus had tried to stop Quirrel from drinking the unicorn's blood, although his warnings had gone unheeded at the time.

And Lucius, attempting to free him with the journal. Although he was glad that he was stopped in the end, trading an innocent soul for his own was not what Tom would have wanted.

Maybe Voldemort, the crazed, insane Dark Lord that Dumbledore had created, yes, he would have wanted that. When Dumbledore had split his soul and shattered his mind, he'd gone insane. If Severus and Lucius hadn't worked together to gather all of the damned horcruxes, then he still might be mad, even to this day.

He regretted his horrible actions on the day of his resurrection. He really didn't want to kill the poor boy, sucked into Dumbledore's mad scheme for power. Thankfully Harry got away, and Severus and Lucius were there to contain him and restore the final pieces of his soul, therefore restoring his sanity and mind.

Except for one. Yes, Tom knew that, somehow, Harry was a horcrux. Thus, their link.

Severus even went so far as to provide a potion that restored Tom's original appearance, and that scaly, slimy, cold bastard Voldemort that resurrected from the cauldron was no more.

One of the first things he did was send Peter Pettigrew to the ministry in a bright red bow- _literally. _After they questioned the rat under Veritaserum, thanks to Lucius, Sirius Black was named a free man. But, apparently, because he'd been in Azkaban and they were uncertain as to his mental health, he was deemed an unfit guardian of Harry and the boy was sent back to the Dursleys.

Courtesy of Dumbledore, regardless of the fact that Harry begged every year not to go back.

Severus informed Tom of this, along with the fact that, although he was Petrified and Levitating, Severus heard Sirius offer Harry a home and, even though he'd only known him for half an hour at best, Harry'd accepted immediately.

Combined, these didn't exactly paint the perfect home life.

And then there was that whole Ministry fiasco. He _still _didn't know what had happened. He'd been told that Severus was in danger, and had come to get him. He didn't expect the little army that the fifth years presented. He had no clue what they were doing there.

And through the connection he felt Harry's overwhelming pain, horror, guilt, and soul-crushing hopelessness as Sirius- the last of his family- was hexed through the veil. It wasn't Bellatrix, not even she would wish that kind of horror on another human being. But he'd seen the bushy-haired girl ducking behind the protection that the Order offered, and he knew, even if Harry didn't.

And then that whole thing with Harry screaming and clutching his scar, fighting against something in his head. It looked for all the world like something was trying to possess Harry, but the only one nearby was Albus. He'd taken that opportunity to Apparate him and all his Death Eaters out.

But Tom knew only too well from personal experience that Dumbledore would do anything to keep those of great power under his control.

And he knew that Dumbledore was doing something to Harry… something horrible.

And Tom realized that this was his last choice. He just had to know.

Tom touched Nagini and summoned Lucius and Severus to him. He didn't have to use the Dark Mark, that was just a cruel, tortuous form calling his followers that Voldemort had enjoyed. Now he just had to concentrate through his familiar, who was connected through the snake in the Mark, and he could call either specific followers, or all of them. Needless to say, all his followers were much happier with this development.

Tom settled back, he didn't have to wait long. Within ten minutes Lucius and Severus made their way through the wide double doors at the end of the hall. They halted in front of him, nodding in greeting. While it was just them, they were allowed to be informal. After all, they were best friends, and Tom trusted them with his life.

And that trust had not been misplaced.

"Yes Tom?" Lucius queried. He'd had to make a quick excuse to the Minister to get here, and he knew that it had to be relatively important is Tom would summon him in the middle of the day. He was right.

Tom sighed. "You know that I've been, well… _worried_ I suppose you could say. For Harry Potter." 

Severus nodded, a slight frown marring his face. "Yes Tom. I admit, I myself have found myself… concerned for the Potter brat. Do you know? Dumbledore told me to give the boy Occlumency lessons, because he was receiving visions from 'Voldemort'." Severus rolled his eyes, although he there was confusion shining in their onyx depths. Tom was equally dumbfounded. "And that night- the night of the Ministry attack- Harry yelled to me that 'He'- Voldemort- had 'Padfoot'- Sirius' Marauder name- at the 'place where it is hidden'. I realized that he meant that you had Sirius at the Department of Mysteries, where Dumbledore stashed that false prophesy. I quickly flooed to Grimmauld Place and found Sirius there, which was how I knew that it was a ruse. But that's why I wasn't there when you tried to contact me. And when you tried to summon me with the Dark Mark, Albus had already arrived to gather the Order to go after the Potter brat, and I couldn't come." Severus scowled at that. If Tom had only known that he was alright, the whole battle never would have happened.

Tom was obviously thinking the same thing.

"Alright, that's it. The similarities between me and Harry are just too many to ignore. I fear that the old fool may be manipulating the boy… similarly to how he manipulated me." Lucius and Severus looked at eachother in concern.

"Albus has always alluded that the boy had been spoiled…" Severus tapered off.

"Has he ever outright told you this? Or have you just assumed?" Tom nodded as Severus' horrified face confirmed his suspicions.

"I just… I hated James Potter so much, and I just figured that Harry would be raised the same way, for also being the Boy-Who-Lived, and… Dammit! I never asked, and the bastard never said otherwise!" Severus was furious with himself.

Tom held up his hand. "Albus just fed and manipulated preconceived ideas. It's not all your fault Severus. But, if you wish to know for certain, I have a task for the both of you."

"My Lord?" Lucius spoke for the first time since the beginning of their conversation. Since they were now preparing to follow orders, they slipped into mission-mode. "What is it you wish for us to do?"

"It's dangerous, and slightly unorthodox, but it's just sneaky and clever enough that it might work. And, if it does, it'll give us insight as to what's really going on with our young Mr. Potter. Do you agree?" Lucius and, after a moment's hesitation, Severus nodded in acquiescence.

"Good. Actually, it was dear Nagini here who gave me the idea." Nagini swelled and preened in the praise. "I would transform you into animals. This would require me to temporarily bind your magical cores, so that the wards wouldn't recognize you. As my dear familiar pointed out, no one notices animals, and are more likely to slip up in their presence than fellow humans. You would be able to communicate between yourselves, mentally, and with me once a week. Does this seem amenable to you?"

Severus looked at Lucius, and Lucius looked at Severus. They seemed to be deciding something between themselves, silently. After a few moments, they both nodded, looking back at Tom.

"Yes. I'll be the first to admit that I don't like the idea of having my core bound, but if it's the only way for us to know for certain, I'm willing to take the risk Tom. I won't take the chance that another boy may have the same childhood that you and I did Tom. I just can't." Severus admitted.

Lucius nodded, agreeing with his lifetime friend.

Tom smiled. "Good, I'm glad. I know where the boy lives, we'll Apparate a good distance away before I do the transformation. Today is Monday, so we'll just make that our day to trade information. Agreed?" Again, Lucius and Severus nodded. "Perfect. Let's depart."

Tom stroked Nagini one last time before slipping on his robes and grabbing onto Lucius and Severus' shoulder. Then, in a muted 'POP' of sidelong-Apparation, the three men were gone.

Nagini settled in for a long wait, hoping that, just this once, Tom was wrong.

But Nagini knew… Tom was always right.


	2. The Beginning

Gradually Lucius and Severus came to. The transformation was painful, and had knocked them both out.

Tom had stayed long enough to confirm that the change was successful before apparating away, praying that, just this once, he was mistaken.

Lucius was the first to regain consciousness with an irritated grumble.

_~That's the __**last **__time I take one of your potions Severus. Why the hell do you carry a forced animagus potion around with you __**anyway**__?~ _Lucius complained. But only muted barks and growls emitted from his mouth. Apparently, their communication was telepathic.

'_Great.' _Severus thought to himself. _'Now the insufferable twit is in my head.'_

But to Lucius he replied, ~_You won't be saying that next time you need a headache potion after one of Draco's fits… intolerable brat.~_

_~Wow Severus.~ _Lucius snarked back. ~_That's usually a Potter-reserved insult.~_

Severus just rolled his eyes and replied to Lucius' earlier question, turning to gaze at his friend. ~_It's easier to transport an unconscious animal than an unconscious human, and a lot less conspicuous. Not that I'd expect you to know anything about __**that **__Lucius. Infamous Malfoy need for drama, and all that.~ _Severus smirked at Lucius' insulted huff. ~_Oh, and your form is fitting. Silver fox cub, not conspicuous at __**all.**_Sarcasm and mirth coloring his voice.

Lucius growled before rolling over to face his companion, ready to give him a piece of his mind… before breaking out in uncontrollable barks of laughter.

Severus frowned in puzzlement and irritation. That was _not _the reaction he was going for. He eyed his hysterical… well, friend might be a bit presumptuous at this moment, since this loud, obnoxious, uncontrollable _thing _was definitely _not _his companion (although in future arguments he'd profess to Lucius being all three of these things)- with slight concern and thinly veiled disgust.

~_And __**what, **__pray tell, has you behaving like an inebriated muggle-born __**Hufflepuff**__, dear Lucius?~_

That caused the reaction he was hoping for. Lucius ceased his laughter, fixing Severus with an indignant glare, fully intending to tear him a new one for such a distasteful, dreadful insult. But as soon as his gaze landed upon the irritated Potions Master, he broke out snickering again, unable to contain himself, as he formulated a half-coherent answer to Severus' rude question. Severus could barely understand the fox-man-cub through his mirth.

~_You… McGonagall… oh I __**so **__owe Tom for this __**excellent **__blackmail material… oh so __**priceless…**_

_**~WHAT?~ **_Severus finally snapped, yelling in his frustration.

_~You're a __**cat **__Severus… a __**kitten. **__Like Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, house of __**Lions!**_

One blink.

Lucius stopped laughing.

Two.

Oh Merlin he was mad…

Three.

Lucius was starting to panic now.

Four…

Oh Slytherin, Morgana, and Mordred, sorry Tom, we aren't finding out anything about the Potter boy now because Severus is going to _kill _me.

Then…

~_**WHAT?**_Severus repeated for the second time in 60 seconds. But this wasn't just a scream. Oh no, this was a shriek of complete and utter horror, outrage, and fury that Lucius barked in shock and- _if anyone brought this up later, Lucius would firmly deny it- _fear, and leapt to his feet, bolting into the forest, an enraged Severus hot on his tail, yowling and hissing, claws unsheathed.

Lucius ran as fast as his newly acquired furry paws could take him. But he knew there was no use. He was _doomed. _He needed a miracle, _oh please oh please oh please _just _anything…_

Then anything happened.

He broke out of the forest and collided with something hard, abruptly halting his mad dash and causing him to tumble ungracefully to the pavement with a yelp. Which caused him immediate irritation. Malfoys do not _yelp, _and they are _always _graceful. It's, like, a family rule or something.

So when a boy leaned over him- the same hard surface that he recently collided with- and reached out, he snapped at him instinctively.

"Look," a familiar voice whispered, and Lucius looked up in shock into the face of the Boy-Who-Lived. "I know you're irritated and angry, but _please _be quiet or they'll find us." Potter stared down at him almost imploringly, large green eyes wide in earnest.

Lucius took a small moment to observe the boy. He took in the gaunt appearance, the over-sized, filthy clothes, the large bruise coloring the right side of his face and neck, and the stark fear in the boy's eyes. All this worried Lucius, even when facing Tom- or rather, Voldemort; the two were not the same- the boy had never shown fear. As a matter of fact, Potter had _never _been fearful. What he and Severus had always assumed to be arrogance might be something more… and that fact didn't sit well with Lucius.

So he decided to trust the boy, for now, in that whatever was looking for him was definitely _not _good, and so nodded his head, silently agreeing to be quiet. The boy sighed in relief.

That was, until the still yowling Severus burst from the forest finally, his exclamations of anger echoing in the surrounding area as well as in Lucius' head.

~_**Where are you, you insipid, evil, intolerable, insufferable, self-righteous, self-conceited, DEAD mutt?~ **_Lucius had barely enough time to catch the look of terror upon the boy's face before Severus beset him, claws ready to strike, mouth open in a hiss of fury. Lucius braced himself.

But then Severus was gone. Lucius blinked for a moment, before he realized that Potter had grabbed Severus and clamped his hand over his muzzle, effectively silencing him. He couldn't hold his claws though, and Severus was currently inflicting long, vicious scratches upon Potter's arms, still caught up in his blood-haze.

Potter didn't flinch, he didn't even seem to notice, so caught up was he in listening to see if they'd been discovered.

Lucius took this moment to berate Severus mentally. ~_Severus! Cease this instant! Your ill-timed temper-tantrum is currently harming our charge! Dammit Severus, DESIST!~_

Severus abruptly halted, reason returning to those still-Onyx eyes, along with a small bit of sheepishness. Lucius sighed in relief before glaring at Severus. ~_Are you quite done?~_

Severus nodded meekly, still trying to gain his famous calm and equilibrium. Lucius made a mental note to show Tom this particular memory at a later date, preferably when Severus was far, far away… maybe Australia. This lapse in Severus' character was history-book-making.

Their attention was swiftly brought back to Potter as he released a quiet sigh of relief, letting go of Severus gently.

"Are you quite alright?" The boy asked timidly. Lucius watched as Severus took in the same details as he had earlier, and Severus' discomfort and unsettlement matched his own.

"It seems as though they didn't hear us… which is a miracle given the amount of noise you were making little one." Here the boy gave a timid smile in Severus' direction, who just huffed in response.

This caused Potter to laugh, a hoarse, quiet sound, as though he wasn't used to the action. Then the boy seemed to gain control of himself, because he once again grew somber.

"Listen, if you know what's good for you, you'll get far, _far _away from me. Dudley and his gang take pleasure from hurting small animals, and if you know me, well, he'll kill you, quite frankly." Then, under his breath, "Before beating the shit out of me."

Lucius and Severus exchanged a wary and worried glance at this.

Potter continued, "You must be new around here, because all the other animals have already learned this by now. And you guys are so beautiful… you wouldn't want to be around me anyways… I wouldn't want to get you dirty." Under his breath, "So dirty…"

Before either of the two friends had time to consider the implications of this statement, a group of five large boys burst from around the corner, quickly trapping the trio. A large, obese, grotesque boy approached Potter- who was now trembling minutely- and began taunting him.

"Awww lookee here boys! It seems like the freak has made himself some '_wittle fwiends'_!" The sycophantic group laughed as if on que. "Well we can't have that now can we freak? What did we tell you about friends?"

Potter remained silent, eyes flitting about nervously, trying- and failing- to find an escape. He maneuvered Lucius and Severus behind himself, trying to shield them from the gang.

Dudley, obviously displeased with the boy's silence, lunged forwards and punched him in the face before grabbing the front of his ratted shirt, shoving his own bloated face into that of Potter's.

"You'll answer when I speak to you _freak! _What did dad say about _friends?"_ Lucius raised an eyebrow at this. The boy's whispered answer shocked him even more, and he could feel Severus' matching emotions.

"Freaks don't deserve friends. Freaks aren't seen _or _heard. You don't love a freak, you just put up with them. Freaks should be grateful for what they get, because they don't deserve anything."

The large boy smirked evilly before patting Potter on the head patronizingly. "Good boy. Now was that so hard." The minions chuckled meanly. Then the lard-bucket adopted a sick, falsely-confused tone. "But, if that's true _Harry_," He said Potter's name in such a way that made it seem like the boy didn't even deserve _that_, "then what are you doing with those _vermin?_ Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. You've been such a bad boy." A chorus of outright guffaws met this latest insult.

Potter started trembling. "No no no no no please Dudley, d-don't hurt them… I-I'll be g-good, j-just don't hurt them a-and d-don't t-tell Uncle V-Vernon. P-please Dudley, please…"

The whale boy- Dudley, Lucius mind filled in the blank- pretended to consider the request for a minute, before, "No. Pierce, snap their necks." And then began beating into Potter as the other four boys advanced upon Lucius and Severus.

"NOOO!" Potter struggled, unconcerned about the fists raining upon him, desperate only to save the two innocent animals who'd had the misfortune of running into the bloody Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die.

Lucius snarled and snapped at the nearest boy while Severus yowled and slashed his claws warningly.

~_Dammit! This is definitely NOT good Severus!~ _Lucius wouldn't admit it, but he felt naked and vulnerable without his wand and magic. And it was just… insulting to think that a _Malfoy _was currently at the mercy of muggle _children. _How positively _revolting._

~_Excellent observation Lucius! If your brilliant mind can deign to deduce anything more enlightening, I shall be much impressed!~ _But Severus' sarcastic voice was tinged with panic. Why the hell did he have to be a damn _kitten?_

One of the boys took advantage of Severus' distraction and grabbed him by the tail, swinging him into a nearby tree violently, causing Severus to yowl in pain and outrage.

Lucius barked in fury before launching himself at the boy, biting his leg rather viciously. The brat dropped Severus with a yell of pain before a kick from one of the other boys landed against Lucius' ribs with a resounding _crack. _

Lucius yelped and flew into the third boy, broken ribs grinding painfully as he whimpered. Before Severus could come to his rescue, injuries be damned, the first boy- _Pierce, or some such nonsense- _stepped on Severus' tail, halting him with a yowl of agony.

"NOO!" The Potter boy yelled before clawing viciously at his cousin's face, kicking him in the family jewels while he was distracted. The whale howled as his grip loosened on Potter, and the boy took the opportunity the wriggle out of his grasp and sprint towards where Severus and Lucius were being tormented.

In quick succession, he elbowed Pierce in the eye, kicked the boy who was looming over Lucius in the shin, and bit the terror who was still standing on Severus' tail hard enough to draw blood before picking them both up and running full out for the safety of the forest, firmly ignoring the yells and screams of rage and fury behind them.

Potter ran and ran and ran… until the sounds of the horrible boys were long silenced. Finally the boy stopped and collapsed to the ground, not labored for breath at all. This suggested that Potter was used to escaping such abuse.

The boy gently placed both injured animals on the ground before looking them over carefully. He healed the lacerations from Severus' unfortunate collision with the tree easily, unknowingly shocking the two disguised Slytherins with the almost nonchalant use of wandless magic.

As he examined Lucius, Severus took this chance to examine the brat for himself. He didn't like what he saw.

A bleeding nose, black eye, and split lip paled in significance to the ugly, hand-shaped purple and yellow bruise that was displayed on the boys shoulder by the overly-large shirt slipping. An old bruise.

The fact that the boy was tending to Lucius first, despite the rather obvious and painful injuries, told Severus two things that, if he cared to admit it to himself, disturbed him.

One: Potter was used to pain.

Two: He was used to not treating- _or not being allowed to treat, _Severus thought- his own wounds.

He was brought out of his musings by Lucius' yelp. Apparently Potter had discovered Lucius' injuries.

"Sorry," the brat _apologized! _As if it was _his fault! _Severus did _not _like what he was seeing. "I'll be gentle." He continued prodding, then remarked, "You've got one broken rib and two cracked ones. I can leave the cracked ones, since they'll heal soon, but I'm going to have to take care of the broken one right away, since it could set wrong if I don't. Now, I'm going to have to set it first before I heal it. It'll hurt like a bitch for about a minute, but then it'll go away. I'm sorry."

Again, another troubling realization: Potter was accustomed to having and dealing- _on his own- _with broken ribs. Severus had a sick, queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Lucius nodded before taking a deep breath. The boy laid his hands on the silver fox and, with a whispered apology, snapped the bone in place with a loud _crack!_

Lucius barked and yelped in pain and, instinctively, bit into Potter's hand, drawing blood. But the boy took no notice, as soft golden light swirled around his hands and into Lucius' body, causing him to release a soft sigh of relief before releasing the boy's hand sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Severus could only stare. No one- _NO ONE- _had _ever _had a pure gold aura before. Not even Merlin, whose aura was a sort of burnished copper. There were speculations about the meanings behind such an aura, but since everything was purely hypothetical, it was believed that such an aura didn't exist. It just wasn't _possible!_

It seemed that the boy was done, as the magic faded and Potter smiled down at Lucius softly. "There. You did very well." And he just shook the blood from his hand before petting Lucius' tail softly, then sitting back and removing his shirt.

As Severus was slightly to the side and behind the boy, he had a rather clear view of Potter's torso. And what he saw caused his breath to catch in his chest and his mind to completely blank.

Old and new scars littered the boy's back, covered by severe, painful-looking welts that seemed to be slightly infected. But what really caught Severus' eye was the large, ugly, raised _FREAK _carved across his shoulders.

Potter's voice managed to gradually filter through the fog of shock that Severus' mind had become.

"…careful… a bit to mend… come with… hide you… not safe… have to… healed…"

Severus came to himself to find Potter wrapping an equally shocked Lucius in his shirt.

_And he hasn't even seen his back yet. _Severus thought rather hysterically. _Tom's going to be mental._

When Potter lifted Lucius, he yelped. Apparently the pain of jostling his still tender ribs was enough to revive Lucius from his stupor.

Potter winced. "Sorry again. I know it's not safe, but really, you've got to heal, and out here isn't the place to. Please, I promise to protect you as best I can, but you've _got _to be quiet _no matter what._ Can you do that? Please?"

Lucius took one look at the boy's anxious and terrified face before nodding immediately. Potter let out a relieved breath. Then he looked down at Severus and crouched slightly, still holding the bundle that was Lucius.

"And you?" The brat questioned. "I think you'd want to be with your friend, but you have to know that it's dangerous. And if you're anything like my 'friends', that'll be enough for you to get to safety." This last part was mumbled, but both snakes heard it, and exchanged puzzled and worried glances.

Severus leapt onto the boy's shoulder, careful of his injuries, and nodded his acquiescence.

Potter smiled brightly. "Good." He then looked up at the rapidly dimming sky with a sigh. "Well, we've got to go back. If I hurry, I can get back before U-Uncle V-Vernon," again, both Slytherins caught the stutter and filed the information away, "does, and hide you away before this evening's 'punishment'."

Potter sighed in resignation before squaring his shoulders and beginning the long trek through the forest, towards the place that would create scars for one, nightmares for another, and flashbacks from his own past for the last.

Number Four Privet Drive.


	3. Horror

It was dark before the trio reached Number 4 Privet Drive. Potter snuck around to the back and tried the door; it was locked.

Potter sighed and whispered, "Well, I can get you to my room, but I'll have to sleep outside tonight. If Uncle Vernon finds me in my room after he locked me out, I'll get punished." He waved his hand and the door unlocked with a muffled _click._

Potter continued whispering to the silent animals as he pushed open the door slowly. "Thankfully wandless can't be detected by the ministry, since they've only got a trace on underage student's wands, and their sensors only detect large amounts of accidental magic. But small bursts of wandlessly controlled magic slip right through." A small, humor-less smile. "Luckily, or I'd probably be dead by now."

A look of alarm was exchanged between Lucius and Severus. Their worry and panic was escalating rapidly with every word from Potter's mouth.

They silently made their way through the house. In the dim light Severus could see the pictures on the wall from Potter's shoulder. All of them depicted a family of three- a whale-like man, a horse-faced stick woman- _Petunia, Severus recalled- _and the walrus-brat from their earlier encounter. But nothing of Harry Potter. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that he didn't even live here.

While Severus was distracted by his disturbed thoughts, he missed Potter's shudder as they passed the cupboard under the stairs. But Lucius didn't, and he filed that information away for later perusal.

Potter eased his way up the stairs, skipping the third step easily. "Creaks." He whispered in explanation.

Both friends were floored when Potter crept up to the door with seven different padlocks and the dirty cat-flap. The boy opened it half-way before slipping through.

The room itself made both animals wince and gag, sick to their stomachs. The stench was enough to almost cause the refined Lucius to vomit. It reeked of sweat, fear, waste, blood, and… something else_. _Neither Lucius nor Severus could figure out what the sickening, bitter smell was.

Severus' feline eyes made out the blood stains covering _everything._ The moonlight filtering through the bars on the window threw everything into stark clarity.

The walls, the floor, the ceiling, the desk, the _bed, _were all either covered or splattered with blood; new and old, dried and fresh.

"I'm sorry, I know it's bad." Lucius and Severus stared at the boy, too shocked to do anything else. "But it's better than the cupboard. There's a window." Then a hoarse whisper, "But… at least he couldn't get me in the cupboard… he was too big, he couldn't… couldn't _touch _me in there."

Lucius whined faintly and Severus trembled, both whispering in horror, ~_No…~_

Potter shook himself from his memories and walked over to the bed. "Sorry, this is the only hiding place in here. I can put a wandless disillusionment charm for the space under the bed, but it'll only work if you _stay there_. Understand? Do _not _come out, for any reason, if you want to live. I'll get in big trouble if Uncle V-Vernon finds out that I brought you home with me. As soon as you're healed you can get as far away from me as possible. It'll be better for you, trust me."

As he whispered all of this Potter crouched down with a wince and gently placed Lucius on the ground beneath the bed, missing Severus' horrified hiss as Potter bent over. And with a wave of his hand Severus- still on Potter's shoulder- couldn't see Lucius anymore. Potter nodded in satisfaction before gently prying Severus from his shoulder; he'd dug his claws in to keep himself from falling off in his shock and horror when he'd glimpsed over the boy's shoulder the newly revealed wound on his lower back.

Severus joined Lucius beneath the bed and promptly began coughing and hacking at the terrible odor; and Lucius wasn't faring much better. Potter winced before whispering, "Oh right, sorry. M'just used to it, I guess." Again, a snap of his wrist, and the small space was charmed and the air suddenly breathable.

But both disguised snakes barely noticed. They were more focused on Potter's subconscious need to apologize for anything and everything. Both were wishing that it wouldn't be a whole week before they could contact Tom.

"Alright," The boy nodded and smiled softly. "You should be safe for now. Just concentrate on healing. I don't know when I'll be back, since I've got to sleep outside tonight, and I don't know what U-Uncle Vernon's mood'll be. He might just hit me and throw me in here with no food or water for the rest of the week… if he's in a good mood. Oh Merlin, please let him be in a good mood." Potter whimpered slightly as he limped across the room and sneaked back out through the door.

He shut the door silently, leaving no evidence of his break-in… into his _own house._

And suddenly the two Slytherins were alone… and they couldn't think of anything to say.

No words to summarize the terrible sight they'd been subjected to. They never, not in a million years, thought it might be this bad.

~_Lucius,~ _Severus whimpered. ~_What has Dumbledore done? Did… did you see his body? His… his back?~ _For the first time in his life, the normally composed and sharp-tongued Potions Master was lost for words.

Lucius was equally shocked. ~_I can't even imagine… he's the same age as my son, as Draco… yet he looks no bigger than a second year. Oh Merlin, Severus…~ _Severus' question filtered through Lucius' horror. ~_His back? I saw the scars and welts on his chest, and the gaping wound closed with hand-done stitches with a frayed string,~ _An indrawn breath of anger and pity from Severus, ~_But I never saw his back. Why, Severus? What… how bad is it?~_

Severus took a deep breath to compose himself, although his efforts seemed in vain. ~_Remember what Potter said? When that boy-whale asked him about 'freaks'?~ _Lucius nodded, dread creeping through his veins. ~_Along with old and new scars from… what looks like a whip…~ _Severus shut his eyes, trying to erase the horrible image of the boy's emaciated and scarred body from his mind, ~_the word 'FREAK' is carved onto his back and… and I didn't see it until just now, when he crouched to set you down but… but 'WHORE' is branded into his lower back, just beneath the waistband of his trousers…~ _Eyes opened in response to Lucius' pained and shaken gasp. ~_Years old, Lucius. The scars are years old.~_

_~Merlin…~ _Was all Lucius could whisper around his horror. ~_Oh dear Merlin…~_

And Severus found that he couldn't think of anything more articulate to say either.

The two friends laid there, in the dark and filthy sanctuary beneath the bed, trapped in their own swirling thoughts of sympathy, remorse, and shame as the night wore on and the sun began to rise.

And when they heard the loud, rumbling footsteps that shook the house like an earthquake, make their way down the stairs and to the back door; and the loud, angry yelling that echoed through the halls; they knew it would only get worse.

And they knew that this was going to be the longest week of their lives.


	4. An ODD Ally

**WARNING: This chapter contains oral rape and anal rape with an object. Along with some torture. Hopefully this will be the last chapter this gory, but Severus and Lucius need to understand just the full implications of all that's happening. But hopefully Dudley's a nice compensation. This made me a little uneasy to write, and I did warn you, so I hope that you're not too cruel with your reviews. I rather you not review than say something too hurtful or degrading. I'm a learning, budding writer, and testing different plots and waters. But you have been warned!**

"BOY! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT HURTING DUDLEY?"

The echoing roar shook the house, and both snakes under the bed flinched. In comparison, Harry's plead sounded terribly small.

"I didn't mean to Uncle Vernon. M'sorry! M'sorry m'sorry m'sorry…" He repeated this over and over, each one louder than the last as, with great pounding footsteps, his uncle dragged him up the stairs and into his room.

The door was flung open with a BANG and only Harry's choked sob masked Lucius' yelp of shock at the sound.

"Your Aunt Petunia's out for the day, so your pathetic screams won't damage her delicate dispositions. You're gonna pay for harmin' our Dudley freak!" Potter just whimpered and curled into a ball, trying to protect his head and face, crying a steady litany of '_please please please m'sorry m'sorry m'sorry!'_

The whale of a man slammed the door shut before unclipping his belt and grabbing the strap, bringing the buckle down with sickening force upon the frail child's back.

The boy didn't make a sound… at first. But by the time thirty slashes had passed, the child was crying and screaming at every blow, blood spraying the floor, ceiling, walls; and dripping down his body.

Finally, after an eternity, when the boy could no longer make a sound because he'd screamed his throat bloody, the monster stopped. But it was obvious he'd only stopped because he was worn out, not out of any pity or remorse.

The whipping was done, but it seemed the torture wasn't.

Lucius and Severus could only watch in sickened horror as the Beast tossed the belt on the floor and grabbed Harry by his hair, wrenching the pale, tear-streaked face up and pressing it to the- Lucius wretched under the bed- noticeable bulge in his blood-spattered pants.

"Look you freak, you've caused another problem! Now fix it!" And he slapped the boy in the face, pulling him from the brink of unconsciousness. With trembling, blood-soaked fingers, Harry unzipped his Uncle's pants and released his large, red, weeping dick.

It seemed the Beast had used up the last of him patience, for he seized Harry's head and shoved his dick in his mouth, furiously face-fucking him, grunting and groaning all the while.

Harry, meanwhile, was crying again, blood and tears and snot running down his face, trying to breath and failing, choking, around the large intrusion in his mouth.

Severus wouldn't- couldn't- watch anymore, and buried his face in his paws, body wracked with silent sobs of anguish. He could tell when the Beast finished, because there was a large drawn-out moan followed by Harry's panting, sobbing coughs.

"I'd love to fuck you whore, but, since you were so good, I won't." Severus opened his eyes to just barely catch Potter's half-way hopeful expression before the whale continued.

"But, since you thought you could kick Dudley's balls, he shall be allowed to have his revenge." The Beast lumbered over to the door before opening it and calling out, "DUDLEY!"

"Nonononono please please _please_ Uncle Vernon, I'll be good, I'll clean the whole house, I won't eat for a week, please I'll do anything, just _please _not again, not so soon." Harry sobbed, crouching down, trying to make himself as small as possible.

"Yes father?" Dudley walked into the room, totally unfazed, as though his cousin's screams hadn't just been echoing through the house, as if his father's half-hard cock wasn't still hanging out from his trousers. "What did you want? Do you need me to get my Smeltings stick for the freak?"

The Beast smiled proudly at his son while Lucius gagged again. "No son, but I thought you might want revenge on the _whore_ for what he did to you yesterday. So you can have him, do anything to him, for daring to act out against his betters. He's yours for the whole day." Harry sobbed brokenly from the floor.

The pig leered lasciviously at his cousin. "Thank you father. Will you be watching this time?"

The Beast shook his head. "No, I've got to get cleaned up, I've got a meeting at the company in thirty minutes. The freak made a mess of my good clothes." He kicked Harry in the side and Severus flinched and Harry gave a nearly silent cry as one of his ribs snapped.

The Beast patted his son on the shoulder as he made his way out of the room. "Have fun Dudley."

Dudley smirked at his father, eyes never leaving Harry's trembling form. "Oh I will father."

The monster shut the door behind him, chuckling as he did the locks on the door, trapping Harry in with the mini-whale, the monster-in-training.

Harry looked up at his cousin tentatively. "D-Duds? I-is it y-you?"

Dudley waited until the avalanche-esque footsteps receded and the shower turned on before he gave a sigh of relief before collapsing on the floor next to Harry, shaking and pulling the bloodied form into his arms, crying and rocking the sobbing Harry back and forth.

To say Lucius and Severus were shocked and confused was an understatement, but their questions were soon answered.

"I'm so so so sorry Harry… I couldn't… It had to be an even day, didn't it? I couldn't stop myself, and I tried, I really did, but I told him and he got so mad and…" Dudley was rambling, hugging his cousin as tightly as he dared with his open, gaping wounds.

"Shhshhshh… S'not your f-fault D-Duds… F-for some reason th-the spell d-doesn't work on k-kids so w-well. If you weren't yourself on the odd days of the week, or if you'd messed up and made y-your p-parents suspicious, you'd either b-be in m-my place o-or D-Dumbled-dick'd come and f-find something d-different f-for you. And then wh-where'd I b-be?"

"I know Har… I know. But it doesn't make it any b-better to see my f-father do that to you." Dudley began tenderly stroking and petting Harry's hair, running his fingers through it softly. Harry sighed and leaned into the gentle touch, relishing it. "I wish there was an antidote, or something, to make them better."

Harry nodded before wincing, head protesting the movement. "I know. I f-found out what p-potion he used, but s-since it's been in effect for so long, and it was b-built on already-there feelings of hatred, there's n-nothing I can d-do. It's been t-too long, and even if I gave them the cure, they'd continue on the same. Uncle V-Vernon's so much more v-violent than Aunt P-Petunia because his hatred was so much m-more st-stronger. S'matter of fact, there's a strong p-possibility that, even without Dumbled-dick's outside influence, he'd have b-been abusive. Maybe not s-so heinously, but the p-potion only magnifies the strongest negative emotion. Aunt Petunia's was disgust, and you can see how she can't bear to touch me or allow me to contaminate her house, making me clean obsessively and sleep in the cupboard under the stairs. Uncle Vernon's was hatred and, well, you can see how that turned out." Harry chuckled dully before coughing brokenly, splattering his hand in blood.

"I th-think it was on the l-letter that the h-headmas-ster left with me on the d-doorstep. Wh-when they r-read it, th-they were c-contaminated. I asked Hermione if the p-potion'd work on a b-baby, b-but she said that it wouldn't, s-since no baby feels any truly negative emotions, and no baby is evil. S-so A-Aunty passed it to you, but it d-didn't take e-effect 'til U-Uncle Vernon started t-teaching y-you to hate the f-freak. B-but you n-never really h-hated me, just w-wanted to m-make your father p-proud. S-so the p-potion found a glitch, and you're n-normal sometimes… but only on the odd d-days o-of the w-week."

Harry groaned as he shifted, wheezing as his breath became labored. Lucius and Severus looked at eachother, sick and nauseous, as they realized what Albus had done, how far he was willing to go. And it was Severus' turn to be violently sick under the bed, as he remembered that day, when the headmaster had asked him to brew that potion special, for a secret project. _His_ potion. _His_ hands had created this.

Dudley sobbed and nodded, understanding. He tried a watery grin, trying to alleviate the tension and switch topics. It seemed like he was prolonging something, but the two invisible Slytherins didn't want to think about anything but the here and now; because if they did, they'd drown in despair.

_Six more days…_

"How did you manage to get that information from the Mudblood? I thought Dumbledick was paying her to be your friend, so how did you fool her." Harry grinned, teeth stained with blood.

"I just told her it was for an extra-credit essay for potions, in hopes I could increase my grade. To her knowledge, I failed miserably, but she was satisfied with what she called, a '_commendable effort'._"

Despite the situation, Severus couldn't help but be impressed with Potter's very Slytherin tactic.

Dudley grinned and chuckled once, before going silent. Harry stiffened, as if preparing himself for something.

"You kn-know you're g-going to have to do it at l-least once Dud, or Uncle V-Vernon'll get suspicious."

"I know… but I don't want to! I don't want to cause you any more pain!" Harry gently touched Dudley's face.

"I'm s-sorry… but I'll try this year to either k-kill or j-join V-Voldyshorts… M-maybe I c-can take him down b-before he k-kills me… but either way, I w-won't b-be returning n-next s-summer, and y-you'll n-never have to do this again. B-but if we don't do this n-now… Uncle V-Vernon'll kill both of us before th-then."

Dudley nodded, still crying, but seeming determined to do something, steeling himself for it. He took off his watch and handed it to Harry, who transfigured it into something oblong that was about seven inches long and two thick, and rounded at the tip. He handed it back to Dudley who accepted it before laying his cousin gently, stomach-down, on the floor.

It wasn't until Dudley started fumbling with his cousin's too-large pants and Harry's breaths became shallow that Lucius and Severus realized- with dawning horror- what they had to do.

In one rough, abrupt move Dudley yanked Harry's pants and boxers down, trying to get this over with as soon as possible.

He placed the transfigured object at his flinching cousin's hole before pausing. "You're… you're gonna have to s-scream, so d-dad thinks I'm… I'm…" He couldn't seem to say it.

"I know Duds. S'okay." Harry reassured, even though his nearly panicked and hoarse voice told otherwise. Dudley nodded before, in one hard, rough thrust, he shoved the object into Harry's arse.

The screams were loud, they were sickening, and they tore at Harry's already abused throat. Despite what he'd said, that it was necessary, Harry still tried to move away from the pain, forcing his sobbing cousin to hold him down while he continued to thrust twice- thrice- five times before yanking it out and throwing it across the room.

Dudley tried to gather his still-sobbing and screaming cousin into his arms, but Harry was too panicked, and began fighting Dudley, trying to get away, trapped in his mind.

Three short raps sounded on the door. "Enjoying yourself in there Dudley?" The monster called through the door.

"Y-yes f-father! Th- ugh!- thanks!" Dudley grunted as Harry's fist connected with his shoulder before he got his arms around him and began rocking and shushing him, trying to sooth his pain.

The Beast, thinking that they were a completely different kind of grunts and screams, just chuckled and said, "That's my boy." Before unlocking the locks and walking away.

They heard the front door slam and the car pull out of the drive.

"He'd gone Har, he's gone. He can't hurt you right now, he's gone." Harry finally collapsed, limp, and sobbed into Dudley's arms. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…"

Lucius vomited one last time before passing out in horror, while Severus just froze there, whimpering in emotional anguish, tears pouring from his eyes.

It was worse, far worse, than they'd ever thought or imagined. And as Severus realized that it was only the beginning, that there were still six more days to go, in which only half Harry would have a human ally, he collapsed as well, sinking into blissful oblivion.

The last thing he saw was Dudley trying to staunch the flow of blood with the sparse sheets from Harry's bed, while Harry passed out from the pain and a faint golden glow encompassed him, helping his cousin and stopping the precious red life-blood from escaping his body.

_Six more days…_


	5. Benefits of Being a HalfBlood

_Odd day: Tuesday – Day Two Continued_

Dudley had stayed with his cousin the entire day, doing and healing what he could. He managed to bring food- a meager half loaf of bread, some cheese, and a bottle of water- and shoved them under the bed until Harry awoke. He didn't notice the two horrified animals, who regained consciousness at the motion.

Harry didn't awaken until the rumbling of a car pulling in the driveway signified Vernon's return. As though he'd been conditioned to the sound- and he very well might have- even through the black of unconsciousness, the noise reached in and jerked him awake with a gasp of fear and shock and pain.

Dudley gently helped Harry onto the nest of stained sheets in the corner, and Severus and Lucius could only guess that the sensory memories attached to the rickety bed were too much, and they could only agree.

They heard the car door slam shut, and Harry flinched. Dudley took a moment to run his fingers soothingly through Harry's blood-matted hair. "Listen Har, I got you some food- it's under the bed, sorry- and I'll try and keep _him _from you for the rest of the day… and hopefully the night. As you know, I can't promise anything about tomorrow…" This time, it was the front door that slammed shut with a bellowed cry of _"DUDLEY!" _that caused not just Harry to flinch.

Dudley spoke faster, "I might be able to visit you tonight, but I'll have to leave by midnight, as you know. Again, Har, I'm so… so very sorry. I'm trying to free you, honestly, I'll do everything I can to-" Stomping up the stairs, and Dudley stood up quickly, adjusting his clothes. "Love you, Har." He whispered, then turned and made for the door.

He opened it and, from the space under the bed, Lucius and Severus caught sight of the Beast's leering, disgusting face before the door was firmly shut and the locks slammed firmly in place.

"Well, Dudley? Did you enjoy your day with the freak?" They heard through the door.

"Yes father. Thank you very much, although I think I may have used him a bit harshly…" A pause, then, "I shall have to visit him tonight, father. After all, you said he was mine for the day, not when the sun set."

Uncle Vernon's bellowing laughter faded as he praised his son, told of how proud he was, and Harry whimpered and rolled into a tight ball as his _relatives _receded.

Lucius and Severus slinked out from under the bed and made their way to the trembling child. It seemed as though his wandless magic had done what it could, stemming the flow of blood and even completely closing some of the smaller wounds- though these were few and far in between.

Cursing the spell that stuck him in this useless form, Severus curled around Harry's head and began licking and soothing him with small, rough licks to his face.

A scathing, sarcastic comment was on the tip of Lucius' tongue- _er, mind- _but the soft, breathy sigh-giggle that escaped the broken child's bloodied lips was quick to silence him; and instead he put himself to the task of licking clean some wounds and curling against Harry's back to offer warmth and comfort.

Harry hummed a little and some of his muscles unclenched, and the two animals mentally congratulated themselves on this small victory.

Finally, after an hour or so of their ministrations, Harry sighed and completely uncurled, although he made sure to keep his two furred companions close.

Harry turned and looked into the black cat's onyx eyes. After a moment of silent staring, Harry hmm-ed and smiled. "I can't very well keep calling you cat and fox, and your eyes _really _remind me of Severus Snape; he's a professor at my school." He missed both his companions' shocked gazes. "So… I think I'll call you Sevvy, since I doubt very much I'd get away with it with my life intact at Hogwarts, calling the feared and esteemed Potions Master something as undignified as _Sevvy._" Harry giggled before coughing violently, masking Lucius' amused, muffled bark of laughter and 'Sevvy's' answering warning hiss.

Harry, after a couple minutes of trying to muffled the sounds in his bloody sheets so as to not alert his ever-alert Uncle, finally recovered enough to smile softly again at the newly-named cat. Harry wiped a bit of blood away that was trickling out of his mouth from the violent hacking coughs.

"You should be honored, being named after such a man." Harry smiled slightly, if a little pained. "He's very brave and honorable, saving my life again and again, every year, while Dumbledick didn't lift a finger. He's snarky and sarcastic, with a wickedly dark sense of humor. I seem to be the only bloody Gryffindor who gets his humor," Harry mused to himself. "But that might have something to do with the fact that I'm more Slytherin than Gryffindork… should've never argued with that bloody hat." Harry whispered softly. "Things would have been so very different…"

Lucius and Severus froze for an endless moment, completely and utterly shocked. Though, Severus mused, he really shouldn't be surprised, given how the boy was raised… and how well he hid it.

Lucius crawled over the boy and looked into his face, cocking his head to the side in confusion and shock, trying to determine in what the boy spoke was true.

It was.

Harry giggled again before reaching out and gently, hand trembling, petted the soft, white fur on Lucius' body. He practically purred with contentment, sending a scowl at Sevvy's knowing smirk.

"You… you remind me a bit of Draco, although your fur's whiter than his hair… maybe his father? Did you know, Mr. Malfoy, Lucius, I think his name was- hard to think right now- tried to kill me in second year?" Lucius winced, and Harry, thinking he'd done something wrong, quickly pulled his hand away before continuing. "He must have really liked his house-elf to lose control like that over losing him, so that makes me think that it wasn't Lucius hurting Dobby so badly. Maybe Mrs. Malfoy? She seemed coldly cruel the first time I saw her at the Quidditch World Cup, and it didn't seem like there was any love lost between her and the two male Malfoys.

But anyway," Harry pulled himself out of his ponderings, not noticing, again, the Slytherins' shocked looks at his perceptiveness and hidden intelligence. "You look a lot like him. White-blond, regal, impeccable. So I think I'll call you," He giggled again. "Lucy. If I wasn't so bloody terrified the first time, I think that I might have called him that to his face. As it was, at that moment at least, I valued my life."

Lucius whined and Severus flinched. They'd hoped the boy wasn't suicidal, but they really should have known… they knew that they would have been.

"Also," Harry continued, grinning impishly. "I wasn't about to let a wizard finish what the basilisk had started not an hour earlier."

Lucius yelped and Severus yowled quietly. Harry merely giggled again under their glares. They knew one thing for certain, that was one of the _first _things that they were going to interrogate the Raven about.

Harry grinned before swallowing dryly. Harry pulled himself off his makeshift bed and dragged himself across the floor until he came to the bloodied cot. Harry paused there and swallowed convulsively, before he wrenched his eyes away from blood and stains from when his Uncle had last- _no, don't think about it!- _and reached under the bed.

He pulled out the water and took a couple sparing sips, before eating three bites of the bread. That seemed to be all his stomach could handle however, and Harry set it aside as his face tinted green.

He grabbed the cheese and broke off two pieces, along with some bread, and offered it to the animals. They wanted to refuse it, but knew that, if they had any hope of rescuing Harry, they also needed to keep their strength up. So they reluctantly took the food, eating it quickly. Harry then poured some water in his hand, offering it to Lucy, then refilling it and offering to Sevvy.

After the sparse meal Harry put his supplies away. But, instead of back under the bed, he wiggled a loose floorboard away and revealed a stash of hidden and precious treasures. Severus caught sight of a photo album, an invisibility cloak, and Harry's wand, before the food was safely put away and the board replaced. Both hidden snakes were vaguely impressed with the boy's foresight.

Still seeing some water left over on his hand, Harry licked off what was left, not wishing to waste a drop. The sight of the boy so desperate and thankful for something so simple, so essential, caused both Severus and Lucius' hearts to clench painfully.

Harry dragged himself back to the nest of sheets, curling on his side again. Lucy settled against his back, and Sevvy his front. Harry absentmindedly began running his fingers through Sevvy's fur, watching the dust motes swirling in the dimming sunrays leaking through the metal bars on his window. As the golden light gradually shifted to red, and then a purple-blue, Harry allowed the black cat's soothing, rumbling purrs to lull him to a peaceful sleep.

It wasn't even three hours later that they were jerked roughly awake by the sound of pounding footsteps, then the locks on the door being systematically opened one by one. Lucy and Sevvy took off, and the tip of Sevvy's black tail only barely made it through the disillusionment charm before the door was slammed open with a bang; lack of doorknob on the room-side keeping a dent from forming in the wall, but also serving to only amplify the violent sound.

Harry flinched and cowered into his corner as Vernon- _The Beast- _lumbered his way into the room, sick, lascivious leer on his face.

"Stand up!" He snarled, kicking Harry in the side, and Severus and Lucius swore they could _hear _the broken bones grinding together.

Harry didn't make a sound, but obeyed immediately, though it was obvious that the effort cost him greatly.

"_Strip._" The Beast ordered, and again, only this time after a slight hesitation, Harry obeyed; sliding his torn shirt and the bloodied boxers that Dudley'd dressed him in to the rough, stained floor.

Harry stood there, trembling slightly, fighting not to cover himself, allowing The Beast and Severus and Lucius to see _everything_.

The old and new gruesome bruises, the bumps where his broken bones pressed against his skin, the scars and welts and _blood_ that left not one inch of his body unmarred.

"Turn around and place your hands on the wall." And Severus and Lucius were forced to look away when confronted with the shredded mass of flesh that was his back, coupled with the crusted blood that coated his arse and thighs.

They heard a choked, muffled cry and their heads whipped back to see what happened, and were almost physically sick at the sight of The Beast shoving his tongue down Harry's throat while brutally thrusting three fingers in his again-bleeding arse. Anytime Harry would move to flinch away or take his hands from the wall, The Beast would take the hand tearing out Harry's hair and slam his head into the wall while simultaneously slamming his fingers further into Harry.

It wasn't long until Harry was so dazed that it was only the hold The Beast had on Harry's hair that kept him from collapsing to the floor.

It was ten minutes of this brutal treatment before they heard the television turn off and the sound of Dudley's footsteps up the stairs. The Beast bit down on Harry lip harshly and thrust his fingers three more times before stepping back and snickering.

"Be good for Dudley, freak." And then he let go of Harry's raven locks, and the shuddering boy fell to the floor in a heap.

The Beast opened the door just as Dudley reached it. He smiled and presented his three bloodied fingers to his son. "I prepared him plenty for you Duddykins, but he still should be plenty tight."

Dudley grinned cruelly. "Thank you, father. I shall be sure to make good use of your generous… gift."

The Beast laughed before clapping his son on the shoulder- leaving a three-fingered bloody handprint on his shirt- and leaving the room.

Before The Beast could fully depart, however, Dudley stopped him. "Could I get the keys for the freak's room, father? I'll be sure to lock up once I'm done with him."

The Beast nodded with a grin before fishing in his pocket and depositing a ring with seven keys into his son's palm. "Be sure you do Dudley. The old Bumbles fool told us that our payment would be cut by twenty percent if we let him escape again. It was lucky that he was caught before he could get too far."

Severus choked on his own breath while Lucius, himself, just ceased breathing altogether. Any thoughts, hopes, that Dumbledore didn't know about the abuse were shot through the window- a fiftieth story window. And worse, he was _paying _them for it.

Dudley just nodded seriously before putting the keys in his own pocket. "Thanks father. Sleep well. Mum's coming back from Ms. Perryweather's tomorrow night, correct?"

The Beast nodded before turning and leering at Harry one last time before leaving for good. Dudley came in the room and shut the door, but didn't fully relax until The Beast's footsteps fully receded and his door slammed shut.

"C'mon Har." Dudley hurried over and helped Harry off the floor and over to the sheets, trying to staunch the steady trickle of blood from the boy's arse.

Harry shuddered and whimpered, before looking imploringly up at Dudley as his face tinged green.

Dudley was barely in time to get Harry's waste bucket in front of him before Harry was throwing up the little he had in his stomach. He then spent another ten minutes dry heaving and coughing up bile. When he was done, tears running steadily down his face, Dudley put the bucket back in its corner.

"H-horrible…" Harry choked out. "He was _inside _m-me an' he was _everywhere_ an' I couldn't… couldn't get a-awa-awa-_away!_" He sobbed this last part, curling into himself and shaking violently. "I dunno… I dunno how much l-longer I c'n do this Dud. I just… I just _can't _anymore…_"_

"Shhshh… I'm trying Har… I'm really trying. Here," Dudley emptied out his pockets, revealing three six-pence's, two screws, a keychain and a hoop earring. "Now that I've finally got the keys, you can create replicas… right?"

Harry sniffled and nodded, and Dudley handed him the key ring. Harry took a moment to examine all seven keys, before concentrating on the first (a gold colored square-headed one). Harry grabbed one of the screws and, with a brief glow of gold, transfigured it into an exact replica of the key.

Harry continued in this manner until, where there was once seven pieces of junk, were now seven completely identical keys to Harry's locks. Unfortunately, the effort seemed to have exhausted what little energy that the boy had, and he promptly passed out.

Dudley gave a small, sad smile and ran his fingers through his cousin's hair before grabbing the replicas and standing, making his way over to the bed.

Before the two animals could do much of anything, Dudley had reached under the bed and was prying away Harry's secret, loose floorboard. He pulled a ziplock bag out of his pocket and, after putting the keys into it and zipping it up, he stashed it in the folds of the invisibility cloak.

But, as Dudley was maneuvering the board back in place, Dudley's knee slipped on a puddle of blood on the floor and he fell on his stomach. Unfortunately, this caused Dudley's hands to shoot forwards in an effort to catch himself, and his hand caught Lucius' tail.

Dudley yelped before grabbing the appendage and dragging the growling, snarling Lucius out. Severus followed after, baring his sharp teeth at and piercing the shocked boy with his black, dangerous eyes. It only took a moment to recognize the animals, and when he did, Dudley was quick to remove his hands and hold them up in a placating gesture.

"M'sorry," Dudley pleaded plaintively. "I know that you probably won't understand me, but it wasn't me and I'm really sorry. I won't touch or harm you but- like Harry says- for Merlin's sake, be _quiet._"

Gradually the two calmed down and nodded. Dudley breathed a sigh of relief before smiling. "I should have known you were here. From what I remember, we really did a number on you; and Harry wouldn't have been able to let you go without healing you. He probably feels like it's his fault, like if he wasn't alive Dumbledore wouldn't be doing all this to us here in Little Winging. Hell, he blames himself for everything that happens in the wizarding world too, no matter that he's a kid being expected to do a job all the adult wizards are afraid of doing."

As he growls this out, he moves his cousin into a more comfortable position, trying valiantly to do everything he could without arousing suspicion. To Lucius and Severus' surprise, Dudley was actually doing a good job. Using an extra water jug he brought to wet a rag and clean the lacerations, rubbing healing salve and Neosporin to protect from infection, and even taking out plastic wire and a needle to sow together, with surprising skill, the most dangerous and gruesome wounds. He even redid the long cut on his front that Harry'd done himself with string.

As though sensing the staring animals, Dudley began explaining softly. "I researched survival techniques on the internet so that I could take care of Harry. Things like re-setting bones, stitching wounds, cleaning and guarding from infection. As much as I could find. I just had to make sure to delete the search history off of my laptop so that _other-_Dudley never knew."

Severus gasped. ~_Lucius! I've got a plan! Oh thank _MERLIN _that I'm a Half-Blood...~_

But, before Lucius could enquire further, Severus was streaking across the room and latching onto Dudley's pants leg and pulling insistently.

"W-what? What do you want? C'mon now, stop it I'm trying to help, can't you see that?" Dudley hissed in frustration and confusion.

Giving up, since no matter how hard he pulled he wasn't moving the still over-large boy an inch, Severus took off and slipped through the cat-flap in the door; following closely behind by a confused but loyal fox.

"Shit!" Dudley yelped quietly. He jumped up and tiptoed quietly to the door before easing it open, making sure not to open it enough that it creaked. To his shock, the black cat and silvery fox were waiting for him on the other side. As soon as he was through the door, the cat turned and took off down the hall before stopping outside of Dudley's cracked open door.

Dudley paused in confusion. Were they… were they trying to get him to follow them? Apparently so, since as soon as he got within a foot of his door, the two animals turned and slipped through the crack. Dudley entered as well and shut the door before turning on the light.

There they were, the strange cat and fox. The fox was sitting on the floor next to his desk chair, while the cat… well, the cat was sitting on his closed laptop, tapping it twice every three seconds in an obvious, if not odd, message.

As soon as Dudley sat in the chair, the fox hopped in his lap before leaping to the table, sitting beside the cat who had now removed himself from his laptop but continued to tap the top.

Dudley sighed before relenting, opening it and powering it on. After entering the password and waiting for it to load, he sat back and looked to the cat for instructions (feeling not a little bit barmy).

The cat leaned over and tapped the icon labeled 'Microsoft Office Word'. Dudley blinked in shock before opening it. As soon as this was accomplished, the cat stood before the laptop, blocking Dudley's view, and began hitting the keys.

And then, after about five minutes, to Dudley's shock, the cat stepped away to reveal a message:

_MY NAME IS SEVERUS SNAPE, AND I'M HERE TO HELP HARRY. I'M A WIZARD WHO HAS BEEN DISGUISED AS A CAT TO ASCERTAIN HARRY'S CONDITION. MY FRIEND HERE, LUCIUS, IS THE SAME._

Shock quickly morphed to suspicion and fear. Dudley jumped up and grabbed his pocketknife before facing the now-wary animals. "Where are your allegiances? With Voldyshorts, or with Dumbledick?"

The cat- Severus Snape- leaned over and busied himself with the keyboard again.

_WITH THE DARK LORD. THERE ARE MANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS, MOST OF WHICH I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN AT THE MOMENT, BUT KNOW THIS. NOT IS AS IT SEEMS, AND TOM IS VERY MUCH CONCERNED FOR HARRY POTTER, AND SENT US TO MAKE SURE SOME SUSPICIONS OF HIS._

Dudley sighed in relief before stowing the knife, much to the animals' shock. "Alright, good. It's about some time someone took notice. Now, I don't have much time," Dudley's eyes flickered to the computer clock now reading 11:37pm. "And I gather that you have a plan to get Harry out of here. Let's hear it."

Severus nodded and began typing furiously; they didn't have a minute to lose.

_THERE'S A SQUIB WHO LIVES A COUPLE HOUSES DOWN NAMED ARABELLA FIGG. HER FIREPLACE IS CONNECTED TO THE FLOO NETWORK AND WE CAN ESCAPE TO THE DARK LORD THAT WAY. I'VE BEEN THERE ONCE BEFORE, AND SHE KEEPS THE POWDER ON THE MANTEL IN A HORRID GREEN POT WITH A JAPANESE CAT ON THE FRONT. NOW, REMEMBER THIS: YOU NEED TO THROW THE POWDER IN THE FIREPLACE AND YELL OUT "SLYTHERIN MANOR TOM RIDDLE'S DRAWING ROOM; PASSWORD: PARSELTONGUE". THEN, STEP INTO THE FLAMES. WE'LL MAGICALLY BE TRANSPORTED TO SAFETY._

"Okay, lemme think… I think I can do that, but it'll have to wait until Thursday. The potion kicks in again at midnight and I'll be a right bastard until tomorrow night at midnight. As for Vernon… lessee… Oh! OH, PERFECT!" Dudley gasped and slapped his hand over his mouth, but all they heard was Vernon snort and the bed creaking as he rolled over, before the snoring began anew. They all sighed in relief, before Dudley continued, whispering quickly as their time became shorter.

"Vernon has a meeting with the company heads on Thursday. He'll be leaving early in the morning and won't be back 'til evening. It's perfect; we won't have to worry about him at all. And with the keys that we finally replicated, I can get Harry out without too much difficulty. And I can always throw a fit for a new video game to get Petunia out of the house... Oh, thank God… Merlin… _whoever; _we can finally get out of here…" Dudley let forth a shuddery, relieved breath before sinking back down in his seat. "Thank you… thank you so much…"

Severus and Lucius hopped down from the table, their mission accomplished. Severus meowed softly to gain Dudley's attention, before motioning and pawing at the closed door. Dudley jumped up, seeing the time- 11:53pm- and whipped out a piece of paper before penning a quick note. After finishing and deleting the Word Document without saving, Dudley quickly tiptoed back to Harry's room; following, once again, the two animals.

After rearranging the ratted, sparse blanket around Harry's unconscious, prone form and placing the folded up note beside him on the floor; Dudley nodded once to the once again hidden Lucius and Severus and shut the door.

They heard seven clicks as the locks were engaged, then the quiet shuffling of Dudley back to his room, and then silence.

~_C'mon Lucius, we may as well go to sleep. We'll need all the rest we can get to survive tomorrow.~ _Severus sighed, mouth opening in an exhausted yawn.

Lucius just nodded in silence before curling up with his friend beneath the rickety bed.

He knew Severus was right, just as he knew that it wasn't as easy as it sounded. It would take all their power to retain their lives and sanity throughout the next twenty-four hours… if not theirs, then the poor, broken, beaten child laying across the room.


	6. Silence

_Even Day: Wednesday – Day Three_

Harry groaned as he awoke, the sun just peeking through the bars on his window. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep- and that Vernon would be up soon- Harry pulled himself up and rested against the wall, rubbing the sleep and blood from his eyes.

He yawned and looked around, taking stock of where he was. He was pleased to see that Lucius and Severus were fast asleep, curled up around one another, under the bed. He sighed in relief; at least Uncle Vernon hadn't seen them. His eyes wandered around the room, dispassionately taking in the blood on the walls, ceiling, bed, desk, floor—

What was that?

Harry leaned forward, wincing as his body protested the movement, and snagged the note that he hadn't noticed before.

He unfolded it, recognizing Dudley's handwriting. '_Must have left it sometime after I passed out.'_

There wasn't much on the torn sheet of lined paper, just two sentences. But those two sentences were enough to cause a bright smile to light up his face and hope to warm his heart.

It merely said: _I know how to get you out and to your true allies. We're leaving Thursday; be ready._

If Harry'd possessed the physical capability, he would have danced around the room in joy.

But then he heard the sound of his uncle's alarm clock, and his blood ran cold. He still had to survive today first, and Dudley wasn't on his side.

Ignoring his body's protests, Harry flung himself across the room and under his bed, prying loose the floorboard and simultaneously waking up his two animal companions.

He shoved the note under his bed, replaced the board, and placed his finger against his lips in the universal _'shhhh!'_ gesture before scooting back to his little 'nest'. And just in time too.

Harry had barely resumed his previous position of resting against the wall before the locks were disengaged and the door slammed open. The Beast's cruel, piggy eyes fixed on the unconsciously shivering form of his nephew.

"Stop lazing about, you ungrateful freak! Get downstairs and make my breakfast! NOW!" Vernon roared, and Harry leapt up and was down the stairs before Lucy or Sevvy could even blink. Vernon growled before shutting the door behind him and following after Harry.

_~How on earth was he supposed to make his breakfast if he was locked in his room?~ _Lucius growled, crawling out from beneath the bed and placing his ear to the door in order to hear what was going on downstairs. So far, all he could hear was the sound of dishes clinking against each other and pans sizzling as Harry cooked.

~_I think that was the point, Lucius.~ _Severus answered, mimicking his friend's position. Lucius didn't bother replying to that.

For a while nothing was heard. Soon enough, the smells of bacon, eggs, toast, and orange juice made their way upstairs. As if summoned, evil mini-whale Dursley slammed open his door and stomped down the stairs. Both animals flinched in shock, before listening harder.

"Dad! Where's my breakfast?" Dursley roared, and Lucius and Severus winced.

"Freak's got it right here Dudleykins. FREAK! WHERE'S MY SON'S BREAKFAST?"

"Coming Uncle Vernon, sir." There was a pause, in which they surmised that Harry was placing their food before them. Suddenly, there was a crash, as though someone had tossed something glass against a wall.

"I DON'T WANT EGGS! I WANT WAFFLES! DAAAAD! LOOK WHAT FREAK MADE ME DO! AND LOOK! MY BACON'S BURNED! DAAAAD!"

"FREAK! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT BURNING OUR BREAKFAST? UNGRATEFUL, NASTY, WORTHLESS FREAK!"

There was a scuffle, and then Harry was sobbing, "_No… no please sir, please Uncle Vernon… Won't do it again, I'll fix it, just please d-AAAAGH!"_

Then the scream was cut off, followed by Vernon's growled, "What have I told you about making noise, Freak?"

"… n-no… p-please 'ncle V'non… p-plea…"

"SHUT UP FREAK! YOU'RE GOING TO YOUR ROOM UNTIL I HAVE TIME TO DEAL WITH YOU!"

Then there was some pounding, rumbling footsteps up the stairs, weak shuffling and sobbing; and Lucius and Severus bolted back underneath the bed. All this was overlapped by the sound of the abominable Dursley Junior sniggering at his cousin's fate.

The door slammed open, followed by Vernon throwing Harry bodily through it. Harry landed with a small grunt, before curling into a defensive ball.

"Now you listen here Freak," The Beast growled, pointing threatening at Harry, who flinched away.  
>"I took today off so that I could spend a day at the Fair with my <em>normal <em>family, and I won't have you ruining it! You'll stay in here all day without food or water as a punishment for burning my Dudley's food; and when I come back I'll take care of your worthless hide for breaking the rules, and screaming. Do you understand?"

Harry whimpered softly, curling tighter into himself.

Vernon growled and stepped forward enough to kick Harry in the back. "I _said, _DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Y-yes 'ncle Vernon… yessir… Freak un'erstands…" Vernon grunted and kicked Harry one more time before exiting the room, slamming and locking the door behind him.

They waiting in frozen silence as Vernon went downstairs, complained about 'Freak' with his son, then decided to take them out to breakfast instead before picking up Petunia from her friend's. Apparently, Ms. Perryweather had contracted the flu and Petunia had come over to nurse the old maiden back to health. Of course, it probably helped that Ms. Perryweather was the head of the neighborhood gossip chain, and this was a chance for the Dursleys to increase their social status.

Finally, though, the front door was slammed shut and the car drove away. Harry breathed a sigh of relief before uncurling; dragging himself across the room towards the bed. Lucy and Sevvy inched out, trying to see any new injuries besides the obvious large, finger-shaped bruises around his neck.

Harry finally managed to pry the floorboard up with his left hand, reaching in and extracting his water bottle that Dudley had given him yesterday. As Harry revealed his right hand, however, Lucy and Sevvy hissed and growled in outrage and shock.

Apparently, because he'd 'burned the bacon', Vernon had seen it fit to burn his nephew. Harry's right hand showed obvious signs of being forcefully pushed onto the hot, circular burner; the edges of the wound raw, inflamed, and bleeding.

Harry pulled the note that Dudley had written him and bunched it up into a ball. He pulled off the top of the water bottle and whetted the paper in it, placing the cool water-soaked paper against the wound. As soon as it made contact, Harry sighed in relief.

He sat there for about five minutes, until the water warmed in the humidity of the room and no longer offered relief. Harry tore a strip off of his shirt before wrapping his hand; the clenching of his jaw and breath hissing through his teeth the only sign that the action brought him total, pure, burning agony.

Seeing his two animal friends staring at him, and misinterpreting their worried gazes, Harry poured a bit of water in his shaking left hand before offering it to Sevvy. Knowing what a sacrifice it was, and knowing that he couldn't refuse in the stifling heat of summer, Severus quickly lapped up the meager measure of water. Harry quickly repeated the same with Lucy.

For himself, Harry just sucked the water from the warm, soaked paper while place the lid on the water bottle and placing it back in its hidey-hole; conserving his resources for as long as he could.

The day went over much like this. Harry would rest against the wall, running his fingers through either Sevvy or Lucy's fur, and staring at the sun as it went through its daily progression. Twice more Harry was forced to retrieve the water, as he was unable to open the door or window to relieve the sweltering heat that the abnormally hot summer day was producing in the stifled room.

Twice they heard the slamming of a car door outside, and both times all three flinched, only for it to be a false alarm.

As the sun set and it neared evening, Harry finally succumbed to exhaustion and laid down on his nest, eyes drooping sleepily.

"Tomorrow, Lucy and Sevvy…" Harry breathed out, sleep-muddled voice high with muted excitement. "Dud's gonna get us out tomorrow… you gonna leave me? Or do you… do you wanna come?"

In answer, Lucius and Severus merely curled around the prone boy's form and licked his face. Harry gave a happy, relieved, breathy giggle before falling into Morpheus' arms.

It was another two hours, nearly eleven o'clock, before Lucius and Severus heard the sound of the Dursley's car and Dudley and Vernon's booming, excited voiced recounting their day out.

Immediately, Harry jerked awake, and Lucius and Severus disappeared beneath the bed.

The sounds of them laughing and joking abruptly vanished when they came across the still-mess in the kitchen.

"Oh! Vernon!" Gasped Petunia, and Severus rolled his eyes. What a drama queen… "What happened here?"

There was a period of silence, before the mini-whale answered. "Freak did it. Dad's still gotta punish him for it tonight."

And then, as if he hadn't a care in the world, they heard Dudley turn on the television to a _Doctor Who _re-run. Petunia merely hmphed and began moving about the kitchen, cleaning up.

They heard the sound of Vernon make his way up the stairs, and Harry cowered.

"Oh, Vernon?" The footsteps paused as Vernon looked back towards his wife.

"Yet, Pet?"

"Do hurry up with his punishment. I've missed you these last couple of days…" She whispered in what she must have thought was a provocative, seductive voice. You could practically _hear _The Beast grin.

"Of course, Pet! I'll be right out." Despite the nausea that was tinting Harry's face green at the thought of the walrus and the giraffe, Harry breathed a sigh of relief. If Uncle Vernon was happy, the punishment wasn't so bad.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Vernon walked in the door and shut it behind him, holding something behind his back. He grinned cruelly.

"Why are you being punished, Freak?"

Harry gulped in fear. "F-for s-scre-screaming an' b-breaking the r-rules."

"Correct, Freak. Unfortunately, I can't take as long as I wanted to, but this should keep you from ever making another noise again." And, from behind his back, The Beats pulled out a metal choke collar.

Harry's breath hitched and his eyes widened. He shook his head frantically back and forth. "P-please Uncle Vernon… please, I won't ever scream 'gain, an' I won't cry or talk or ever, _ever_ make 'nother noise ever 'gain, I promise! Jus' please, please, _please _don't…"

But his sobs were in vain. Harry fought. Harry screamed. Harry bit and clawed. But it was no use.

Vernon wrestled Harry's slight form to the ground and tightened the collar on, so tight that it was already digging into the translucent, bruised flesh. Harry whimpered and gurgled in pain.

Vernon sat back with a grin and wiped his hands on his pants. He looked down, and Harry, Lucius, and Severus' eyes were unwillingly drawn to the obvious hard-on.

Without further preamble Vernon had his cock out and shoved down Harry's throat, thrusting violently. That, combined with the air-constricting collar and the blood-loss, caused Harry to pass out.

Not that that deterred Vernon. He just continued thrusting into his unconscious nephew until he released into the unwilling mouth. He tossed Harry on the floor, where he remained, limp, with cum leaking from his mouth and blood pouring sluggishly from his neck.

Vernon merely kicked his nephew in the ribs, laughed, tucked his cock away, and left the room; the click of the locks signifying the end of this day's torture session.

Lucius and Severus darted out from under the bed and over to Harry, frantically licking his face and neck, trying to ease the pain. But Harry remained oblivious to their ministrations; his breathing labored.

At eleven thirty, the television turned off and Dudley made his way up the stair. He banged on the door five times loudly- causing Lucy and Sevvy to flinch- and laughed maliciously before making his way to his own room to go to bed.

Soon, the only sounds were Dudley's snores and the grunts and moans echoing from Vernon and Petunia's room; before even those faded and they joined Dursley Junior in their own snoring orchestra.

Severus sobbed cold tears onto Harry's pained face- in agony even in sleep.

Lucius nudged Severus' side in comfort. _~Tomorrow… tomorrow, and he shall never have to see this house again.~_

Severus nodded slightly, unable to tear his eyes away from the fallen Raven. _~Tomorrow…~_

* * *

><p><em>AN: I hope you're happy, since I gave all of you two chapters in one day. But really quick, I'm holding a small poll. I'm planning this as a Severus/Harry with Uncle Lucius and Adopted as Tom's Slytherin Heir. Maybe even some Lucius/Tom. But I'm open to other pairings too. Here's the poll:_

_Harry/Severus_

_Harry/Severus/Lucius_

_Harry/Lucius_

_Harry/Severus/Draco_

_Harry/Severus/Lucius/Tom_

_Harry/Severus/Tom_

_Harry/Lucius/Tom_

_Tell me what you think! And keep reading and reviewing! Ta ta!_

* * *

><p>…<em>I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good…<em>


	7. Break These Chains

_Odd Day: Thursday – Day Four_

Harry remained lifeless through the night and most of the morning. But, right on the dot, as though he'd been forcefully trained to respond even when unconscious (and Severus and Lucius realized that he probably _had_), Harry jerked awake as soon as the cracked digital clock on the rickety desk read _6:00am_.

And it was apparent why, when not fifteen minutes later (barely enough time for Harry to feed and water Lucy and Sevvy, before trying to choke down some water himself) Petunia – _The Hag_ – slammed open the door. The faint sounds of a shower and off tune singing of the Beast were heard through the open doorway.

"Get up!" She screeched, not paying any attention or just ignoring the sight of the blood covering her half-naked nephew and the red chain-link collar around his neck. Severus thought he saw a brief glint of malicious glee and vindictiveness in her eyes, and he couldn't believe that this was the same Tuney that used to pull Lily's pigtails and play tea-party by herself for fun.

"You're late making breakfast! You better get down there and hurry up; _and no mistakes!_ If you ruin my husband's breakfast when he has an important meeting today, I'll take it out of your hide myself!" A hideous scowl marred the Hag's face; and Severus found himself mentally comparing her to Black's mother's portrait – Walburga came out on top in the beauty department. If they ever got out of here alive, he'd never complain about her screeching again.

Harry nodded before bolting past her, ducking under her swinging palm before flitting down the stairs. The Hag took one look around the torture chamber, eyes skipping over the invisible space under the bed, before snorting and sneering, "_Disgusting Freak…"_ before slamming the door shut.

Just like the day before, Severus and Lucius found themselves listening avidly at the door and catflap; making sure to stay out of sight and sound.

To their shock, however, not ten seconds later the footsteps were back outside the door. They scrambled for their sanctuary as the doorknob turned and the Hag reentered.

She was carrying a screwdriver and – what Severus vaguely recognized from his half-blood days – an eyehook screw. It wasn't so much that as it was the cruel and vindictively malicious gleam in her eyes that caused even the clueless Lucius to cower back.

They watched with confused and uncomprehending eyes as she made a hole in the wall about mid-way up and twisted in the screw. She yanked on it a couple times to make sure it held, before stepping back and observing her handiwork in what was obviously a very self-satisfied way.

After she had left Lucius and Severus, not eager to risk being discovered again, stayed in safety beneath the bed until Harry returned. Little more than an hour later – in which they heard Dudley silently sob in his room for five minutes as he relived his actions of the previous day, then go downstairs and quietly eat his food – Harry finally returned to the room.

Actually, it was more like he was dragged up – The Hag pulling mercilessly on the collar while Dudley ran to his room, unseen tears pouring down his face as he saw what had been done to his cousin – before he was thrown to the floor. Harry coughed and wheezed as he attempted to breathe around the constricting collar and the overwhelming fear and panic.

In The Hag's hand was a length of chain and a black toolbox with the logo _**Grunnings**_on the side. Totally ignoring her nephew, The Hag set down her supplies on the floor before removing a tape measure from the toolbox. She measured the distance between the eyehook screw and the floor before complaring that same length with the chain. Seeing that the chain was too long, she also took out – _Severus identified it and mentally relayed the information to his clueless pureblood friend_ – a pair of bolt cutters.

After she had cut the length of chain to the correct size, she pried apart one of the links and fitted it onto the eyehook screw. She then pulled out her final item – a tool that had the appearance of a portable screwdriver, shaped like a large, fat pen. It wasn't until she put on a pair of sunglasses and some pink heavy-duty gloves, that Severus realized what was happening.

As soon as the knowledge hit him, The Hag flipped the switch on the tool in her hand, and a small, concentrated blue flame came out. What had originally been thought to be a screwdriver, had turned out to be a welding torch.

Without further preamble, The Hag soldered the link to the screw, permanently securing it to the wall. Harry, who had finally caught his breath and had been observing his aunt's actions uncomprehendingly, was in no state to fight back or prepare when The Hag grabbed his collar again and yanked him to the wall and connected chain.

Harry's sleep, food, and oxygen-deprived brain didn't understand what was happening until a link at the end of the shortened chain was attached to his collar and the blue-hot flame was nearing the exposed flesh of his throat.

He tried to jerk away, but The Hag was prepared for that. She grabbed Harry by the hair and slammed him into the wall, holding him there as she – with far less care than she gave to the screw and wall – welded the link together with the chain; burning and charring the tender skin and flesh of Harry's throat at the same time.

Harry opened his mouth the scream, but no more than a rasping wheeze came out. Somehow that, coupled with the anguished tears that fell unheeded from terrified viridian eyes, was so much more horrifying and heart-wrenching than if the child had been screaming at the top of his lungs.

Finally, after an eternity in which Lucius and Severus could see that The Hag drew out as long as possible to cause as much pain as possible, she turned off the blowtorch and allowed her nephew to collapse to the floor in silent, gasping sobs.

She then pulled a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs – something obviously bought from some cheap kink shop – and, using a thick, heavy duty staple gun, bolted the cuffs to the floor. Using swift, abrupt movements The Hag wrenched her nephew's wrists into the cuffs before locking them so tightly that they dug into his skin; putting the key safely into her pocket. Harry would be incapable of unscrewing the eyehook from the wall.

She gave a few tugs to the cuffs to be sure they were secure- and a couple more to the chain to cause Harry pain and cut off his air- before she loaded up all her tools back into the box along with the remains of the length of chain; before leaving the room with a pleased, self-satisfied smirk on her face and shutting the door.

She never said a word the entire time; and the silent response to her cruel action showed the level of her depravity and sadism.

Severus and Lucius waited until the tell-tale sound of the locks engaging sounded before darting across the room to their pain-filled, sobbing charge. The chain was just long enough to allow Harry to lie on the floor, but not much longer than that. He couldn't reach the door, or his bed, or even stand. Sevvy and Lucy licked at the wound, trying the sooth and clean it, but they couldn't do much. The metal was already cooling, red-hot fading to cool silver; a horrible molten collage of blood and metal and blackened skin solidifying against the base of Harry's throat, where the chain connected to the collar.

Harry whimpered and cried as The Hag puttered around the house and watched soap operas on the telly. Finally, after a sufficient amount of time, they could hear Dudley walk down the stairs and pitch a _royal _fit about getting this new video game for his Playstation. A few nauseating assurances and a period of horrid doting later, and Petunia had left the house with her purse and keys; having called a cab to take her into London for the imagined desired video game.

Dudley barely managed to wait five minutes before he was banging on Harry's door. "_Harry! Harry, she's gone! Quick, pass me the keys to the locks and I'll get you out of there! We don't have much time!"_

Harry coughed and grunted an affirmative, before moving towards the loose floorboard; only to be forcefully reminded of the fruitless nature of his attempt. Between the chain leash and the cuffs, Harry had no hope of reaching the loose floorboard with his hands.

Harry, desperate, turned and faced the wall, before stretching his right leg behind him and reaching with his bare foot for the board. He tried to look over his shoulder, but the chain was already pulled taut, and the jagged claws of the collar embedded into his neck and the lump of burned flesh and metal at the base of his throat wouldn't move; so Harry couldn't turn his head.

Harry whimpered and desperate tears leaked down his face, but still he blindly searched for his hiding place. Unable to bear watching the pathetic sight any more, Severus caught Harry's foot and nudged it until it moved over to the floorboard that Lucius was scratching at.

With a relieved sob, Harry eased his toes into the crack and gently eased the floorboard up, centimeter by centimeter.

He had it, barely clinging to it by the pads of his toes, gently inching it up and easing it to the side, before –

"_Harry! What's taking so long! Are you awake?"_

With a startled, near-silent cry and a jerk, the floorboard slipped from Harry's tenuous grasp and fell back into place. While Severus gently re-guided Harry back to the location and the trembling, taut boy began the slow process again, Lucius ducked out of the cat-flap and growled at Dudley in warning.

And, finally, after an eternity of sobbing and easing and lifting and praying, the floorboard was shoved away and the hidey-hole revealed. Harry, unable to do anymore, collapsed to the floor with a defeated sob that was no more than an exhalation of wet-sounding air.

But it was enough. Severus pawed aside the folds of the Invisibility Cloak to reveal the Ziploc bag of keys. He quickly grabbed the bag with his teeth before bolting across the room and out the cat-flap – that being the second and last time that it would be used for its created purpose – and deposited its precious cargo in Dudley's waiting hand.

With trembling fingers, Dudley swiftly undid the locks with a quickness born from years of experience; and opened the door. To his credit, Dudley gave no more than a horrified sob before he had bolted downstairs and into the cupboard, taking out the toolbox and bolt cutters and lumbering back upstairs as fast as he could; two equally frantic wizard-animals following immediately behind.

Not wasting a single precious second, Dudley cut the chain from the wall and the cuffs from the floor before he threw the offending tool away. Quickly retrieving the backpack he'd left in the hall, Dudley stuffed Harry's most dear belongings into it – Invisibility Cloak, photo album, wand, a small bag that clattered with shrunken items, and a couple books – before zipping it up and stowing it on his back.

He then leaned down and helped Harry to stand, wrapping the leftover chain around his cousin's wrist and the horrible fuzzy cuffs so that the weight wouldn't pull on the collar. "C'mon Har… do you think that you can walk?"

Harry nodded and took three shaky steps before he collapsed, Dudley catching him with a sad sigh. "No, you can't. Here, let's get you dressed, then I'll carry you to Mrs. Figg's."

After Harry had been donned in an overly-large pair of pants and a blood-stained shirt – the cleanest that he had – Dudley was carrying his cousin down the stairs bridal style, Lucy and Sevvy following behind.

"Is there anything in your trunk that you need, Har?" Dudley whispered, though there was no need to, as he paused by the cupboard under the stairs. Somehow, though, the situation felt that it warranted it.

Harry coughed and shook his head, patting Dudley's backpack as though to say, _'All I need is already in here.'_

Dudley nodded and, at last, they left the house, never to return; leaving the front door wide open and swaying in the wind.

Finally, after a lifetime of torture and hopelessness and agony, the two tormented cousins departed from the site of their misery. One with a twisted mind and an alternate personality, carrying the other with the scars and bruises that told a story of survival and strength, of pain and despair.

Following the two was a black cat and a silver fox, who both swore with every bit of life and magic in their transfigured bodies, that Dudley and Harry would never return to Privet Drive again.

So mote it be.

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><p><em><strong>AN: If you want to see the picture of the blowtorch that Petunia used, just search "portable blowtorch" on google and you'll see a picture of it in "Images". The website is www. portable-heat-tools. com (just remove the spaces).**_

_**Sorry that it took so long, but I hope that the chapter was worth the wait. The rest of Thursday: Day Four will come out soon – the confrontation with Mrs. Figg and the escape by Floo.**_

_**By the way, I wonder if anyone else has ever asked this, but…**_

_**If Arabella is a '**__**Mrs.**__**', who is the '**__**Mr.**__**'? Food for thought…**_

_**As for Grunnings making the toolbox, I just thought that I can't think of a single company that just makes drills, and not other tools or accessories. So, in my story, Grunnings also made the toolbox, bolt cutters, blowtorch, and staple gun.**_

_**Review! And let me know what you think!**_


	8. Out of the Pot, into the Fire

**_A/N: Really quick, forgot to mention this. I'm going be making some changes to three other stories of mine. I'm changing the pairing for "THE SEVENTH HORCRUX" to Harry/Sirius. Eventually it will be a SNARRY, but that won't be until the far future. For now, it will be a story of healing and family between Harry and Sirius._**

**_Also, I'll be changing the name of my "PEN IS A SWORD" Series. Instead of "BOOK ONE" and "BOOK TWO", I'll be changing it to "THE PEN IS A SWORD: THE STONE" and "THE PEN IS A SWORD: THE SECRET". Hope that this doesn't inconvenience anyone, but it seemed more creative and fitting to me._**

**_Anywho, thanks for your patience, now on with the show!_**

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><p><em>Odd Day: Thursday – Day Four Continued<em>

For a criminally obese boy, Dudley was remarkably skilled in moving silently and invisibly. After ducking behind several neighbor's yards and slipping through a couple hedges, Dudley finally reached the house of batty old Mrs. Figg.

However, as soon as Harry saw the street sign declaring their location as _Wysteria Walk_, he paled and began rapidly shaking his head and wheezing.

Dudley immediately stopped and hid in a darkened alleyway between two fences. "Harry! Har, what is it?"

Harry coughed and finally squeezed out, "…_Figg… no, don'…"_

Dudley shook his head. "No, Harry, we have to go. I was told that she's a Squib – a person with no magic, right? – and that she was connected to the – Froo? Floo? – network; and that we can use that to escape."

But, to his surprise, Harry again shook his head in the negative. "…_No… not… Squib… witch… Figg witch…"_

"_What?_" Dudley's jaw dropped, and he exchanged wide-eyed looks of incomprehension with the two animals who were also intently listening.

_~Of COURSE!~ _Severus cursed and faced the still-shocked Lucius. _~He wouldn't leave a Squib who couldn't defend him to watch over and 'protect' him – _'contain him, more like' he grumbled to himself. – _No, he wouldn't dare leave himself open like that to mistake. Imagine, if the Dursleys had decided to drop him off at an orphanage, or almost killed him with their abuse, how could a SQUIB stop and protect him in time? No, but a __**witch**_**, **_who is capable of casting compulsion and obliviate charms… now __**that's **__another story altogether…~ _

_~Shit!~ _Lucius growled, pacing back and forth restlessly; ignoring his plebian cursing. In light of the new information and the painful twinges as his ribs pulled, cursing seemed warranted. _~He just can't catch a fucking break, can he?~_

While both the animals had been pacing and ranting silently, Dudley had been quietly thinking and contemplating, brow furrowed in thought.

Finally, he spoke, bringing halt to all other motion. "We have no choice. Petunia could come back at any moment, and if Vernon's meeting gets out early we'll both be done for. There's really no choice…"

And, meeting his pale cousin's terrified but resigned face, Dudley swallowed thickly and stated, "We'll have to try anyway. We can sneak in through the back."

Harry nodded jerkily, and with no further interruptions, they sneaked along the backside of the fences until they came to the weed-filled and destitute backyard of Mrs. Figg's house.

Harry watched through eyes that were slowing dawning with comprehension as Lucy growled for Dudley and Harry to stay put as Sevvy leapt the fence and slipped through an open window. Seconds later he returned and looked up at Dudley, shaking his head in a negative.

Dudley nodded and whispered, "She must be out… probably picking up some cat food from the grocer. We have an opening, best not waste it."

And with that, Dudley forced open the rickety back gate and slipped into the yard. Ignoring the eerily staring cats around him, he opened the unlocked back door and made his cautious way into the front parlor room, where the fireplace was located.

And there it was, empty and cold but with a nifty pile of firewood, newspaper for kindling, and a box a matches to the side. Dudley set his cousin gently upon the least-dusty couch and set himself to start a fire. As the newspaper caught fire and flickered, and he waited for it to spread to the wood, Dudley began searching for the porcelain Floo-pot with the waving Japanese cat – _there!_

With a grin of victory as he grabbed the pot and the fire took hold, warming the room and causing the shivering Harry to sigh in relief, was nearly blinding.

Dudley picked up his cousin and faced the fireplace. Grabbing a way too-generous handful of Floo powder, he threw it into the fire and called, _"Slytherin Manor, Tom Riddle's Drawing Room. Password: Parseltongue._"

As the flames flared green and Dudley prepared to step foot into the fireplace side-by-side with the two animals, a loud voice snapped from behind him, _"ARESTO MOMENTUM!"_

In a remarkable show of reflexes Dudley leaped to the side, only to discover that that was their attacker wanted. The yellow curse hit the fireplace and froze the flames; forcefully keeping the connection open.

_~SHIT!~ _Severus and Lucius yowled/howled at the same time, turning the face the gleefully dark face of Arabella Figg, not-Squib, Witch Warden of the Boy-Who-Lived. A bag of cat food and treats lay on the floor beside her, the contents spilling on the floor; while the still-open door behind her swung shut and locked with a flick of her wand.

"You're not going anywhere." She hissed, not seeing the sleek form of Sevvy sneak around the room, deliberately using the surrounding feline bodies as cover. "I made an Oath that I would never allow you to leave Surrey of your own volition again; and I'm not too keen on becoming the Squib Albus portrays me as.

"Now, Harry dear," both Harry and Dudley gagged and shivered at the poisonously sweet tone of her voice. "This is what's going to happen. You're going to return to your relatives with no knowledge or remembrance of this ill-thought out spout of rebellion, my true heritage, or this conversation. Your Aunt and Uncle will have an increased urge to punish you, and hopefully you'll never attempt something so foolish again.

"As for the open Floo connection to _Slytherin Manor_, I'm sure Alby will be only _too _pleased with the wide-open door through Voldemort's defenses. I imagine that the prize of being able to catch him with his trousers down will guarantee me a life of luxury and recognition. Especially, dear boy, after you marry my wonderful daughter.

"I believe you know her better as… Ginevra? Say goodbye to your memories Harry… again. OBLIVIA-AAAGH!"

Just as she was about to give voice and power to the mind-wiping and -damaging curse, Sevvy leapt up and dug both fangs and claws into her hand, causing her to drop her wand in shock and pain. Not missing a beat, Sevvy let go and, snagging the fallen wand in his jaws, sprinted back to Dudley and dropped the wand into Harry's open palm.

As one, as though they'd planned it in advance, Harry snapped the wand viciously – sending the furious and shocked Arabella to her knees at the pain to her magical core – while Dudley threw the jar of Floo-powder that he still held in his hands, with perfect aim, at the fallen witch's head.

She dropped like a rock.

What Dudley hadn't expected was, upon the action, to be suddenly faced with two dozen furiously snarling and spitting cats… that were all advancing upon him and Harry.

Deciding it would _not _be prudent to linger, Dudley picked up Harry again and stepped into the still-green, now flickering flames – the spell that kept the connection open having vanished upon the destruction of the false-Squib's wand. Severus and Lucius followed immediately behind, inwardly cackling in glee and triumph.

And, as they disappeared in a flash of green before the connection was severed and the flames returned to their regular orange hue; the house echoed with the agonized wails and howls of dozens of cats as the familiar bond between them and Arabella Figg was severed… upon the disappearance of the woman's magic.

For Arabella Figg had just failed, inadvertently broken an Unbreakable Oath, and the consequence – punishment – was her magic.

Mrs. Figg was now what she had been faking for the last decade and a half of her life – a Squib.

Dumbledore would _not _be pleased…

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><p>As soon as Dudley stumbled into Slytherin's Manor's drawing room, Harry coughing and wheezing in his arms, Lucius and Severus were off like a shot, splitting up to search the manor for their wayward Lord and friend.<p>

It was Lucius who finally found him, in the parlor reading a Dark Arts tomb by the fire, Nagini curled around his shoulders and reading alongside. Tom had taken one look at the wheezing, transfigured Malfoy Lord – silver fur matted and dirty with bandages wrapped tightly around obviously injured ribs – before he had leapt to his feet, half-century year old book falling unheeded to the carpeted floor.

He didn't ask a single questions – hadn't needed to – he just picked up his dear friend and bolted, composure abandoned, for the drawing room; where he knew that the two disguised wizards would have guided the Boy-Who-Lived if the situation were truly dire.

And it most certainly was.

Despite his best efforts, despite him preparing himself for the worst, nothing could have prepared him to see the proof of the true levels of depravity and human cruelty that he saw before him.

He couldn't see much, but what he _did _see was more than enough.

He didn't even concerned about the obviously-Muggle, obese boy in his pureblood ancestral home. Indeed, he hardly spared the lad a passing glance. What drew his immediate attention and worry was the wheezing, bleeding, bruised, emaciated, _broken _boy hero before him.

Once-ebony black, tousled hair was now red, matted, and limp from blood and the indignity of the unwashed. Skin once tanned and flawless was now scarred, bruised, and porcelain pale. Tom briefly had time to realize that the damage was too extensive from one summer alone, and to wonder exactly how powerful this child was, to have such powerful glamours that he hadn't seen them before; during their infinite, countless meetings.

He could see the glint of pink and metal around the boy's wrists, and following the length of chain upwards he caught sight of the red and silver, in what was obviously a barbaric collar pulled too tight.

But, as his eyes flickered upwards and he locked gazes with the boy, all other thought was wiped from his mind. Once stubborn, bright, sparkling, powerful viridian orbs were no more. Now they were dull, tarnished, defeated, jaded. They were broken and crushed, and Tom wondered if 'Just Harry' even existed in there anymore; or if Dumbledore had finally killed him.

Sometimes, Thomas Marvolo Riddle, now-sane Dark Lord and Emperor of the Night, really hated being right.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Tada! Two chapters in as many days! Whoa are you guys lucky!**_

_**Now, just hold your horses, I'll explain all about Arabella 'Figg' and her history/where she **__really __**came from. It's super brilliant and twisted, hopefully you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I left just enough clues to get some of you wondering… and I'll hold the answers hostage unless I get reviews! Mwahahahahahahaha! *evil laugh of EEEVIIILL!***_

_**Anywho, insane moment over with (NOT) I dearly hope that you OWL (review) and let me know what you think. Any and all Howlers will be used as kindling to light Fred and George on fire.**_

_**As one brilliant reviewer reminded me, threatening to torch Dumbledore was counter-productive, as everyone wants that to happen. And, as EVERYONE loves the Twins, I figured that threatening them would be a good way to get good reviews… even though I'll now have to run for my life, as the Twins don't take being used as bait too well…**_

_**Ooop! Here they come now! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW; and I'll take to you later. Sort of running for my life now…**_


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